1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a handheld device using magnetic force for collecting and discarding loose metallic debris.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a common office, school, or home environment, small magnetic metal objects, such as staples, paper clips, nails, pins, etc., often become scattered on a desk surface. These loose metal objects tend to go unnoticed due to their small size and may accumulate, thus resulting in an untidy workspace. Furthermore, objects such as staples, nails, pins, and screws may pose a hazard because of their sharp points and edges. When sharp metal objects come into contact with skin, they may cause painful cuts, and once skin is pierced, there is a danger that the wound may become infected, thus leading to further complications and creating a possibility of more serious health problems. Therefore, small metal debris creates two problems: (1) disorganized workspace, and (2) risk of a potential injury.
Cleaning up metal debris may be a problematic task because small metal objects may be difficult to detect visually. Moreover, manually picking up sharp metal objects is undesirable due to a possibility of receiving a cut. For these reasons, a need exists for a device capable of efficiently and safely collecting, retaining, and discarding metallic debris.
This problem has been recognized by others, and several prior art references disclose devices intended to solve similar problems. For example, published U.S. patent application No. 2008/0078698 teaches a mop-like device using magnetic force for collecting and discarding metal objects. U.S. Pat. No. 4,407,038 discloses a magnetic sweeper that permits relatively easy operation for picking up metallic debris, but presents inconveniences for removing the captured debris. Furthermore, most prior art teaches sweeper-like devices that are fairly large and clumsy. Although such devices may work well for sweeping, they are very inconvenient for cleaning up small metallic debris located on a desktop.
Accordingly, there is a need for a small ergonomic device that enables safe and efficient collection and retention of metallic debris from a support surface.
There is also a need for such a device that discards the collected debris in a safe and efficient manner.